{"slug": "democratic-republic-of-the-congo", "label": "Democratic Republic of the Congo", "wikipedia": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo", "wikidata": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q974", "qid": "Q974", "description": "country in Central Africa", "entries": 41, "years": 24, "span": [1680, 2025], "span_label": ["1680 CE", "2025 CE"], "topics": [{"title": "Conflict & Security", "count": 13}, {"title": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "count": 11}, {"title": "Crime & Justice", "count": 4}, {"title": "Health & Medicine", "count": 4}, {"title": "Exploration & Expansion", "count": 3}, {"title": "Climate & Environment", "count": 3}, {"title": "Disasters & Accidents", "count": 2}, {"title": "Technology & Infrastructure", "count": 1}], "related": [{"slug": "united-nations", "label": "United Nations", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "rwanda", "label": "Rwanda", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "international-criminal-court", "label": "International Criminal Court", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "soviet-union", "label": "Soviet Union", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "united-nations-security-council", "label": "United Nations Security Council", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "algeria", "label": "Algeria", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "angola", "label": "Angola", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "world-health-organization", "label": "World Health Organization", "shared": 1}], "items": [{"year": 1680, "year_label": "1680 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "March 30", "text": "March 30 – A total eclipse of the Sun takes place and is visible over central Africa, with totality over the Opala Territory in the modern-day Democratic Republic of the Congo.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1365997201#January–March", "title": "1680", "revid": 1365997201, "section": "Events › January–March"}}, {"year": 1876, "year_label": "1876 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": "September 12", "text": "September 12 – King Leopold II of Belgium hosts the Brussels Geographic Conference, on the subject of colonizing and exploring central Africa. By the event's conclusion, a new international body named the International African Association (indirect forerunner of the modern Congo state) is established.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1363589433#September", "title": "1876", "revid": 1363589433, "section": "Events › September"}}, {"year": 1881, "year_label": "1881 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": null, "text": "Kinshasa (the capital of the modern-day Democratic Republic of the Congo) is founded by Henry Morton Stanley as a trading outpost called Léopoldville.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1369747876#Date_unknown", "title": "1881", "revid": 1369747876, "section": "Events › Date unknown"}}, {"year": 1960, "year_label": "1960 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "August 6", "text": "August 6 – In the Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville) (later the Democratic Republic of the Congo), Albert Kalonji declares the independence of the Autonomous State of South Kasai.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371870774#August", "title": "1960", "revid": 1371870774, "section": "Events › August"}}, {"year": 1960, "year_label": "1960 CE", "section": "Crime & Justice", "date": "December 1", "text": "December 1 – Patrice Lumumba, deposed premier of the Republic of the Congo, is arrested by the troops of Colonel Joseph Mobutu.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371870774#December", "title": "1960", "revid": 1371870774, "section": "Events › December"}}, {"year": 1960, "year_label": "1960 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "December 14", "text": "December 14 – Antoine Gizenga proclaims in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that he has taken over as the country's premier.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371870774#December", "title": "1960", "revid": 1371870774, "section": "Events › December"}}, {"year": 1960, "year_label": "1960 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "December 7", "text": "December 7 – The United Nations Security Council is called into session by the Soviet Union, in order to consider Soviet demands for the Security Council to seek the immediate release of former Congolese Premier Patrice Lumumba.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371870774#December", "title": "1960", "revid": 1371870774, "section": "Events › December"}}, {"year": 1960, "year_label": "1960 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "June 24", "text": "June 24 – Joseph Kasa-Vubu is elected as the first President of the independent Democratic Republic of the Congo.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371870774#June", "title": "1960", "revid": 1371870774, "section": "Events › June"}}, {"year": 1960, "year_label": "1960 CE", "section": "Health & Medicine", "date": "November 14", "text": "November 14 – Belgium threatens to leave the United Nations over criticism of its policy concerning the Republic of the Congo.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371870774#November", "title": "1960", "revid": 1371870774, "section": "Events › November"}}, {"year": 1960, "year_label": "1960 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "November 22", "text": "November 22 – The United Nations supports the government of Joseph Kasavubu and Joseph Mobutu in the Republic of the Congo.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371870774#November", "title": "1960", "revid": 1371870774, "section": "Events › November"}}, {"year": 1960, "year_label": "1960 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "September 14", "text": "September 14 – Colonel Joseph Mobutu takes power in Republic of the Congo via a military coup.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371870774#September", "title": "1960", "revid": 1371870774, "section": "Events › September"}}, {"year": 1960, "year_label": "1960 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "September 5", "text": "September 5 – Congolese President Joseph Kasa-Vubu dismisses Patrice Lumumba's entire government, and also places Lumumba under house arrest.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371870774#September", "title": "1960", "revid": 1371870774, "section": "Events › September"}}, {"year": 1962, "year_label": "1962 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": "March 15", "text": "March 15 – Katangan Prime Minister Moise Tshombe begins negotiations to rejoin the Congo.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373095518#March", "title": "1962", "revid": 1373095518, "section": "Events › March"}}, {"year": 1964, "year_label": "1964 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "August 5", "text": "August 5 – The Simba rebel army in the Democratic Republic of the Congo captures Stanleyville, and takes 1,000 Western hostages.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371069587#August", "title": "1964", "revid": 1371069587, "section": "Events › August"}}, {"year": 1964, "year_label": "1964 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "June 26", "text": "June 26 – Moise Tshombe returns to the Democratic Republic of the Congo from exile in Spain.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371069587#June", "title": "1964", "revid": 1371069587, "section": "Events › June"}}, {"year": 1965, "year_label": "1965 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "November 24", "text": "November 24 – Congolese lieutenant general Mobutu ousts Joseph Kasavubu and declares himself president.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1368843670#November–December", "title": "1965", "revid": 1368843670, "section": "Events › November–December"}}, {"year": 1966, "year_label": "1966 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "July 23", "text": "July 23 – Katangese troops in Stanleyville, Congo, revolt for several weeks in support of the exiled minister Moise Tshombe.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1370246126#July", "title": "1966", "revid": 1370246126, "section": "Events › July"}}, {"year": 1967, "year_label": "1967 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "July 5", "text": "July 5 – Troops of Belgian mercenary commander Jean Schramme revolt against Mobutu Sese Seko, and try to take control of Stanleyville, Congo.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1370160888#July", "title": "1967", "revid": 1370160888, "section": "Events › July"}}, {"year": 1967, "year_label": "1967 CE", "section": "Crime & Justice", "date": "June 30", "text": "June 30 – Moise Tshombe, former president of Katanga and former prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is kidnapped and taken to Algeria.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1370160888#June", "title": "1967", "revid": 1370160888, "section": "Events › June"}}, {"year": 1967, "year_label": "1967 CE", "section": "Technology & Infrastructure", "date": "November 4", "text": "November 4–5 – In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, mercenaries of Jean Schramme and Jerry Puren withdraw from Bukavu, over the Shangugu Bridge, to Rwanda.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1370160888#November", "title": "1967", "revid": 1370160888, "section": "Events › November"}}, {"year": 1968, "year_label": "1968 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "April 23", "text": "April 23 – President Mobutu releases captured mercenaries in the Congo.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371310387#March–April", "title": "1968", "revid": 1371310387, "section": "Events › March–April"}}, {"year": 1970, "year_label": "1970 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "December 23", "text": "December 23 – Law 70-001 is enacted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, amending article 4 of the constitution and making the country a one-party state.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1370420699#December", "title": "1970", "revid": 1370420699, "section": "Events › December"}}, {"year": 1977, "year_label": "1977 CE", "section": "Climate & Environment", "date": "January 10", "text": "January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo).", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371657539#January", "title": "1977", "revid": 1371657539, "section": "Events › January"}}, {"year": 2002, "year_label": "2002 CE", "section": "Climate & Environment", "date": "January 17", "text": "January 17 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, displacing an estimated 400,000 people.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1372652846#January", "title": "2002", "revid": 1372652846, "section": "Events › January"}}, {"year": 2003, "year_label": "2003 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "June 30", "text": "June 30 – Warring parties in the Democratic Republic of the Congo sign a peace accord, bringing an end to the Second Congo War.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371470479#June", "title": "2003", "revid": 1371470479, "section": "Events › June"}}, {"year": 2008, "year_label": "2008 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "January 24", "text": "January 24 – A peace deal is signed in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, ending the Kivu conflict.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1372634791#January", "title": "2008", "revid": 1372634791, "section": "Events › January"}}, {"year": 2013, "year_label": "2013 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "March 24", "text": "March 24 – Central African Republic President François Bozizé flees to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, after rebel forces capture the nation's capital, Bangui.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373160550#March", "title": "2013", "revid": 1373160550, "section": "Events › March"}}, {"year": 2016, "year_label": "2016 CE", "section": "Crime & Justice", "date": "March 21", "text": "March 21 – The International Criminal Court finds former Congolese Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity, the first time the ICC convicted someone of sexual violence.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373421880#March", "title": "2016", "revid": 1373421880, "section": "Events › March"}}, {"year": 2018, "year_label": "2018 CE", "section": "Health & Medicine", "date": "August 1", "text": "August 1 – The 2018 Kivu Ebola outbreak begins in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It becomes the second-deadliest outbreak of the Ebola virus on November 29, surpassed only by the 2013 West African Ebola virus epidemic.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373090883#August", "title": "2018", "revid": 1373090883, "section": "Events › August"}}, {"year": 2019, "year_label": "2019 CE", "section": "Disasters & Accidents", "date": "November 24", "text": "November 24 – 2019 Busy Bee crash: A plane crashes shortly after takeoff in a densely populated area of Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing all 19 people on board and at least 10 more on the ground.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373255188#November", "title": "2019", "revid": 1373255188, "section": "Events › November"}}, {"year": 2019, "year_label": "2019 CE", "section": "Crime & Justice", "date": "November 7", "text": "November 7 – Former Congolese rebel leader Bosco Ntaganda is sentenced to 30 years in prison for war crimes and crimes against humanity, the longest sentence ever handed down by the International Criminal Court.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373255188#November", "title": "2019", "revid": 1373255188, "section": "Events › November"}}, {"year": 2020, "year_label": "2020 CE", "section": "Health & Medicine", "date": "April 10", "text": "April 10 – Kivu Ebola epidemic: The Democratic Republic of the Congo reports the first case of Ebola since February 2020. The outbreak has killed more than 2,200 people since August 2018.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371633312#April", "title": "2020", "revid": 1371633312, "section": "Events › April"}}, {"year": 2020, "year_label": "2020 CE", "section": "Health & Medicine", "date": "June 1", "text": "June 1 – Kivu Ebola epidemic: The World Health Organization reports six new cases of Ebola, and UNICEF reports five deaths, in a renewed outbreak of the disease in Mbandaka, Équateur Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371633312#June", "title": "2020", "revid": 1371633312, "section": "Events › June"}}, {"year": 2022, "year_label": "2022 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "March 27", "text": "March 27 – The M23 offensive begins in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371998228#March", "title": "2022", "revid": 1371998228, "section": "Events › March"}}, {"year": 2023, "year_label": "2023 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "March 10", "text": "March 10 – Kivu conflict: Angola announces the deployment of troops to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, following the failure of a ceasefire between government forces and M23 rebels in North Kivu.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1372811827#March", "title": "2023", "revid": 1372811827, "section": "Events › March"}}, {"year": 2023, "year_label": "2023 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "March 4", "text": "March 4 – Kivu conflict: Burundi deploys 100 troops to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to help fight insurgencies by militias, including M23.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1372811827#March", "title": "2023", "revid": 1372811827, "section": "Events › March"}}, {"year": 2023, "year_label": "2023 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "March 8", "text": "March 8 – Allied Democratic Forces jihadist insurgents use machetes to kill about 35 people in the village of Mukondi, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1372811827#March", "title": "2023", "revid": 1372811827, "section": "Events › March"}}, {"year": 2023, "year_label": "2023 CE", "section": "Climate & Environment", "date": "May 4", "text": "May 4 – A series of floods and landslides strikes villages in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, resulting in over 400 deaths.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1372811827#May", "title": "2023", "revid": 1372811827, "section": "Events › May"}}, {"year": 2024, "year_label": "2024 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "May 19", "text": "May 19 – A coup d'état attempt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo reportedly led by Christian Malanga leads to unrest in Kinshasa. Government soldiers quickly intervene, arresting the coup leaders and reportedly restoring calm.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371869228#May", "title": "2024", "revid": 1371869228, "section": "Events › May"}}, {"year": 2025, "year_label": "2025 CE", "section": "Disasters & Accidents", "date": "April 15", "text": "April 15 – A motorized wooden boat capsizes after catching fire in the Congo River near the town of Mbandaka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing at least 148 people.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1372865033#April", "title": "2025", "revid": 1372865033, "section": "Events › April"}}, {"year": 2025, "year_label": "2025 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "June 27", "text": "June 27 – The U.S., with Qatari support, brokers a preliminary peace treaty between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, ending their armed conflict that started in 2022.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1372865033#June", "title": "2025", "revid": 1372865033, "section": "Events › June"}}]}